SUDAN – Wave of violence in Darfur amid situation exacerbated by pandemic
There are more than 130,000 displaced people who have fled the recent violent attacks that are currently isolating the city of El Geneina, capital of the West Darfur state. The demonstrators who closed all roads to and from the city were joined by delegations from Zalingei and Nyala to support requests aimed at obtaining the resignation of the governor of the state, Mohamed El Doma, but also the displacement of the camps for displaced people from the city and the reorganization of the state police force in question.
According to what Fides learned, activists in West Darfur said that the closure of the roads leading to El Geneina aims to block access to any direct humanitarian aid to the displaced camps or to transfer the many wounded to Khartoum. Currently displaced people find themselves in difficult conditions in more than 60 overcrowded shelters, where a family lives in an area of no more than two square meters, food and water rations are not distributed regularly and sanitation facilities are lacking.
The only support received so far by the World Food Program consists of protective tarpaulins and sorghum, and the intervention of other humanitarian organizations is urgent.
In this context of precariousness, with the myriad of internally displaced persons and nomadic communities, the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic represents a significant threat to peace and security for Darfur and has further deteriorated the socio-economic situation. For rural communities in already poor health conditions, the pandemic has exacerbated an already difficult situation. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 2/6/2021)
